Study: Childhood obesity linked to sugar intake of pregnant mothers

Too much sugar during pregnancy can increase the likelihood of childhood obesity, according to a joint study by University College Dublin and the National Maternity Hospital.

The research found that eating foods like white bread and fruit juice during pregnancy can increase the chances of giving birth to a larger baby.

With recent international studies linking higher birth weight to later childhood obesity, researchers are asking mums-to-be to watch their weight before and during pregnancy.

Women with high blood sugar at 28 weeks of pregnancy were three and a half times more likely to give birth to babies weighing more than nine pounds and 15 ounces than those women with the lowest levels of blood sugar.